13 Indian nationals serving life in Bahrain jails

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com 

Staff Reporter

Thirteen Indian nationals are serving life sentences in Bahrain jails, according to the Indian Government.

The Daily Tribune earlier reported that 162 Indian nationals are being sentenced in Bahrain for various offences, quoting a Central Indian Minister.
As many as 8,278 Indian prisoners, including undertrials, are lodged in foreign prisons at present, with 156 of them serving life sentences, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan informed Lok Sabha, Indian Lower House of Parliament.

He asserted that the government attaches the highest priority to the safety, security and well-being of Indians in foreign countries, including those in prisons there.

Indian missions and posts abroad remain vigilant and closely monitor the incidents of Indian nationals being put in prisons for violation or alleged violation of local laws, the minister pointed out.

“All matters regarding the repatriation of Indian nationals lodged in foreign prisons are regularly pursued by Indian missions and posts abroad with the local authorities concerned.”

The Daily Tribune earlier quoted Dr Babu Ramachandran, the Chairman of the Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF), saying that the Kingdom’s government has been putting in its best efforts to ensure the best humane treatment of prisoners.

ICRF is a non-government, non-profit organisation working under the patronage of the Indian Ambassador for the general welfare of Indian workers in the Kingdom. ICRF would regularly conduct prison visits before the pandemic struck the Kingdom.

“The Kingdom has one of the world’s best prison systems in the world. All requirements of prisoners are being attended to, matching the best of world standards. We have been earlier conducting regular prison visits that have to be stopped following the pandemic outbreak.

“We are hopeful that ICRF teams will be able to resume jail visits again once the pandemic is brought under absolute control.”